When it comes to purchasing tickets on Ticketmaster, speed is of the essence. Competition for hot tickets can be fierce, with shows selling out in minutes or even seconds in some cases. This leaves buyers wondering – should I use my phone or computer when trying to score tickets? Is one method truly faster than the other? While both phones and computers have their advantages, there are some key differences that can impact your checkout time.
The Phone May Offer a Slight Speed Advantage
Purchasing tickets directly through the Ticketmaster mobile app may give you a slight edge when it comes to speed. Here are some of the potential advantages of using your phone:
- Faster interface – The Ticketmaster app is designed for quick tapping and scrolling versus using a mouse and keyboard.
- Auto-fill payment info – Your payment details may already be stored in the app, eliminating typing time.
- SMS notifications – You can receive text alerts when tickets go on sale before the general public.
- Accessibility – Your phone is likely within reach versus having to get to a computer.
Especially when every second counts, these small factors can add up to a faster purchasing experience on mobile. Your phone is optimized for rapidly tapping through the checkout process. The app may even pre-fill your personal info from your Ticketmaster account, saving precious keystrokes.
Computers Offer Some Speed Advantages Too
However, purchasing tickets directly through Ticketmaster.com on your desktop or laptop has some potential speed advantages as well:
- Bigger screen – A larger display makes it easier to scan ticket options and checkout fields.
- Fewer errors – A physical keyboard can lower mistakes from typos on smaller mobile keyboards.
- Multi-tasking – It’s easier to have multiple windows/tabs open on a computer.
- Internet speed – Computers may have faster internet connections via broadband versus mobile networks.
The larger screen real estate allows you to see more ticket listings and checkout details all at once. A full-size keyboard and mouse may result in fewer errors that cost time. And if your home WiFi or Ethernet is faster than your 4G/5G connection, that can shave off precious seconds too.
Strategies for Speeding Up Your Ticketmaster Order
While the phone vs computer debate is very close, there are some universal tips that can help accelerate your Ticketmaster checkout on either device:
- Create an account – Store your personal info to auto-populate at checkout.
- Save payment details – Securely add your payment method to avoid re-entering.
- Use auto-fill – Let your device automatically insert saved info as you checkout.
- Go incognito – Skip cache and browsing history for faster page loads.
- Close unused tabs – Minimize memory load by shutting unneeded windows.
- Check internet speed – Use Speedtest.net to confirm your connection is performing optimally.
- Use a wired connection – Plug into Ethernet on a computer when possible for top speeds.
- Update your device – Make sure your hardware and software is current.
Registering for a Ticketmaster account allows you to store details like your name, email, address, and payment info for one-click checkout. You can also permit auto-fill so those details are inserted instantly. Checking your internet performance with Speedtest.net can alert you to any slowdowns. And doing a fresh reboot ensures your device is primed for peak speed when tickets go on sale.
Have a Game Plan Ready in Advance
More important than which device you use is having a strategy in place before tickets go on sale:
- Know when tickets go on sale – Sign up for presale codes and alerts.
- Pick your tickets – Decide preferences like section, price level, quantity.
- Set up accounts – Create logins for Ticketmaster, venue, fan club, etc.
- Gather payment options – Have credit card, verified PayPal, etc. ready.
- Test your checkout – Do a dry run to uncover any issues.
- Use multiple devices – Try laptop, desktop, phone, and tablet.
- Find the fastest connection – Test WiFi, Ethernet, cellular data.
- Coordinate with your group – Make sure everyone knows the plan.
Being strategic with presale codes, deciding exactly what tickets you want, and testing your checkout process ahead of time will give you a significant advantage. Using multiple devices across WiFi, Ethernet, cellular data, and coordinating with others can also improve your chances.
Factors That Determine Ticketmaster Speed
Aside from your device type and internet connection, there are other important factors that impact Ticketmaster’s speed during high demand:
- Popularity of the event – More demand equals slower speed.
- Venue size – Smaller capacity shows sell out quicker.
- Sale time and date – Weekdays are less crowded than weekends.
- Type of tickets – Front row and VIP sell fastest.
- Number of buyers – More competition equals slower speed.
- Ticketmaster traffic – More visitors means slower website and app.
- Bots and scalpers – Automated purchasing bots can choke bandwidth.
In essence, the bigger the event and the more limited the tickets, the more crowded the Ticketmaster servers get. The most popular shows will inherently have the slowest sales process. Planning to buy as soon as tickets go on sale, even checking on weekdays, can help you avoid peak traffic. There is only so much capacity available, so buying hot tickets will never be lightning fast.
Tips for Using Your Phone Efficiently
If you do choose to use your mobile phone to purchase tickets, here are some tips for making the app faster:
- Update to the latest iOS or Android OS – This ensures best performance.
- Check your cellular data connectivity – Move near a window or outside if speed is slow indoors.
- Connect to public WiFi – Link to a fast free network like at a coffee shop.
- Turn on Airplane Mode – This eliminates processes that can slow your phone.
- Close all other apps – Shut down anything unnecessary running in the background.
- Disable Bluetooth and Location Services – More options to maximize speed.
- Clear cache and browser history – Eliminates temporary files and speed lag.
- Buy a newer model – Check if your phone’s hardware or OS is outdated.
Optimizing your mobile settings like disabling Bluetooth, erasing cache, turning Airplane Mode on, and linking to speedy WiFi can help. Upgrading to a newer generation of iPhone or Android that supports the latest 5G connectivity can also offer a speed boost.
Tips for Using Your Computer Efficiently
To maximize speed on a desktop or laptop computer, try these tips:
- Use a wired Ethernet connection – Much faster than WiFi if available.
- Close unused programs and browser tabs – Frees up RAM and computing power.
- Disable VPN connections – Can slow down your broadband speeds.
- Clear cookies and cache – Forces page elements to freshly reload.
- Disable pop-up blockers – Eliminates processes that delay page loads.
- Check your network connection – Diagnose ISP issues with Speedtest.net.
- Refresh your web browser – Download the latest version of Chrome, Safari, Edge etc.
- Scan for malware and viruses – Cleanup unwanted processes hogging resources.
- Upgrade your equipment – Newer/faster computer hardware can help.
Plugging directly into your router via Ethernet cable can provide lower latency than WiFi. Doing a system check for malware, upgrading old hardware components, refreshing your web browser version, and disabling unnecessary functions like VPN and pop-up blockers will also give your computer a speed boost.
Have Backup Payment Options Ready
Another key tip is having multiple secure payment options set up in advance:
- Credit cards – Have your fastest chip/tap card on hand.
- Debit card – Make sure your daily purchase limit is high enough.
- PayPal – Great fast option if already funded.
- Venmo – Can be used via PayPal for quick transfers.
- Store gift cards – Bonus if you have any applicable merchant cards.
By adding payment methods like PayPal, Apple Pay, and Visa Checkout to your Ticketmaster account, you create more ways to check out rapidly. Having funded options like gift cards and linked bank accounts avoids payment failures that eat up time. Setting higher daily debit card limits and ensuring your credit card is chip-enabled for tap can also speed up checkout.
Use Presales and Waiting Rooms to Your Advantage
Finally, leveraging presales and waiting rooms can give you a major speed advantage:
- Presale codes – Sign up ahead of time for special access.
- Verified Fan presales – Registration sometimes required for early tickets.
- Venue and artist fan clubs – Members get access to limited presales.
- Credit card presales – Special offers through official card partners.
- Waiting rooms – Enter up to an hour before onsale time.
- Ticket drops – Check back as more tickets are released over time.
With presales, you enter the purchasing queue ahead of the general public. Venue and artist fan clubs in particular unlock access to limited tickets. Credit cards linked to live entertainment sometimes have special presales too. Waiting rooms also let you enter the queue earlier. And checking back for ticket drops spreads out your chances versus just trying once.
Be Ready for Any Possible Snags
Despite your best efforts, be ready for potential issues by having a backup plan:
- Technical failures – Site crashes can happen, so keep trying.
- Sellouts – Popular tickets will go fast, often in seconds.
- Resellers – Bots and brokers scoop up tickets en masse.
- Dynamic pricing – Plum seats have market-based fluctuating prices.
- Errors – Double check details if orders fail.
- Queue position – Waiting line priority is essentially random.
With so much demand flooding Ticketmaster’s servers, technical issues can temporarily bring the site down. Resellers also use sophisticated bots that outpace average buyers. Dynamic pricing means the highest demand seats will cost more. And everyone essentially has an equal queue position. So have reasonable expectations, and be ready to persist through challenges.
In Summary
Purchasing the most in-demand tickets through Ticketmaster will inherently involve lag and competition. But in general, mobile phones offer a slight speed advantage thanks to quick tap interfaces, fingerprint purchasing, and text alerts.
Computers benefit from bigger screens to evaluate options, and wired internet often provides lower latency. In the end, preparation trumps device. Focus on presales, payment methods, multiple devices, and graceful persistence. Accept that hot tickets will sell fast no matter what. With reasonable expectations and organization, you can confidently get tickets swiftly.